Safety pin



NOV. 25, 1952 w COLBY 2,618,825

SAFETYPIN Filed Aug. 15, 1951 ATTO/P/Yf) Patented Nov. 25, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a safety pin having a prong or penetrating member which is effectively guarded when the pin is secured to material or when it is removed therefrom.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a safety pin which is simple and inexpensive in construction, easy to manipulate, and which rotates into a locked position as the same is inserted into a piece of material. The same is attractive in appearance and requires no special manipulation to close or lock the prong in guarded position either when in engagement with the material to be fastened or when removed therefrom.

The invention also includes certain other novel features of construction which will be more fully pointed out in the following specification and claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawing which illustrates, by way of example and not for the purpose of limitation, a preferred embodiment of my invention with minor variations in the form of the keeper:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing one of my improved pins in an operative or fastened position in relation to layers of the material with which it may be used;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of the same pin in fastened position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and on enlarged scale; I

Fig. 4 is a nlan view showing one of my pins equipped with another form of keeper and in fastened position; v

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the pin with kee er of the type shown in Fig. 4, also in fastened position in relation to the supporting material; i

Fig. 6 is a fra mentary cross sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. '7 is a plan view showing the basic form of the invention, without keeper, and in its position for insertion of the prong through the material or fabric, and

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view illustrating the start of the penetration of the prong in the material.

In the drawing, the numeral 8 indicates the prong or penetrating member of the pin which is substantially straight from its pointed end 8a to its proximal end 9b. A guard, indicated generally by the numeral 9, extends at both lateral sides of the prong 8 and beyond the pointed end thereof, being disposed to extend in and define a plane in which the pointed end portion of the prong is normally positioned. This guard is integral with a spring member ID connecting it to the proximal end of the prong B. The member i0 is formed with the curved cam portion I01) and is bent to form a handle portion [0a adjoining the proximal end of the prong 8 and defining a plane which is substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by the guard 9. As shown, the prong 8, guard 9 and spring member ID are integral, being formed from a unitary length of spring wire. The prong 8 is s ring biased to a central position in relation to the guard 9 and to a stop member 9a extending closely adjacent to one side of the prong.

A keeper I l (Figs. 1-3) may be provided on the guard 9 to limit lateral movement of the pointed end portion of the prong 8 in the plane of the guard and also to afford an extension of the guard closely adjacent to the point of the prong. This keeper may be constructed from suitable sheet metal and formed with a flange Ha projecting at the back side of the guard, as viewed in'Fig. 1, and a flange H b at the front side of the guard. A notch I la formed in the flange llb permits free passage of the pointed end of the prong laterally to and from its normal position within the keeper. The spring bias of the prong normally retains its pointed end in a plane between the flanges Ila and Ill) and also in position to be sprung laterally, free of the keeper, through the notch llc.

As shown in Fi s. 4-6, a modified form r:

kee er may comprise a solid body I2 which is fastened in the embrace of the guard 9 and formed at one side with a recess l2a in which the" pointed end portion of the prong 8 is normally The body I2 is positioned by its spring bias. preferably constructed from trans arent material to permit the user to see the pointed end portion of the prong when the in is being started thro gh the material, usually textile fabric. with which it is used. As shown. a plurality of layers of fabric l3 may be fastened together by the use of the pin.

In operation. the user gras s the handle portion Illa, as indicated in Fig. 8, with the prong 8 positioned at the side of the guard 9 toward the surface of the fabric, and with the guard 9 pressed against the surface of the fabric, the prong is sprung obliquely downward out of the plane of the guard while it is thrust through the fabric. By reason of the formation of the cam portion I 01) on the spring member ill with respect to the guard 9 and prong, the pin automatically rotates through an angle of 180 about the axis of the prong, as the latter is advanced through the fabric and the pointed end portion returned to the front face thereof as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5 and in this position the pin is in a locked position, for it cannot be withdrawn from the fabric. Thus, starting with the pin in the position indicated in Figs. 7 and 8, it is turned over to carry the prong to the front side of the guard as shown, in Figs. 1 nd 4 to complete the fastening.

When in the fastened position, the stop portion 9a of the guard 9 looks the pin against accidental withdrawal from the supporting material. To

withdraw the pin from the fabric or other supgrasped and turned to the right, as viewed in Figs.

1 and 4, 180 about the axis of the prong which is opposite to the directionthe pin rotated as it was inserted then the prong is pulled out longitudinaily; Such turning movement is necessary to; free the portion 9a of the guard from the fabric. My'improved pin is entirely operative without a keeper on the guard 9 but either of the keepers II or 12 constitute an additional advantageous feature which coacts with the guard 9 in preventing the accidental or unintentional springing of theprong 8 from its guarded position at one side ofthe' guard to the opposite side thereof. Each of the keepers described also functions to extend the'guard 9 in close proximity to'the pointed end of the prong.

An importantfeature of my invention resides in the construction which makes it unnecessary .2:

for the user. to perform any positive act in order to close or look the prong in its guarded position. The, prong is at all times guarded both when in use and when laid aside. This safety feature is particularly advantageous where the pins are 1 used to fasten the garments of infants who sometimes swallow pins left within their reach. My improved construction has the further advantages of being simple and inexpensive, attractive in appearance and easy to manipulate.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect-by Letters Patent is:

1. A safety pin having normally closed arms of spring wire, one arm ending in a point, the other arm ending on a planar guard member, a loop handle remote from the guard member joining the arms in a plane substantially perpendicular to the guard member, a curved cam-like section in the other arm joining this said loop handle to said guard and extending to one side of said arm and back acrosssaid first-named arm if extended.

7 the guard member with the loop handle and adapted to rotate said guard around the pin arm when the pin arm penetrates a pinnable material, causing the guard member to engage said pin arm in the depression of said guard member.

3, A safety pin having normally closed arms of spring wire, one arm ending in a pin point, the other arm, ending in a guard member having a depression therein, a loop handle joining the two arms remote from said guard member and substantially in a plane parallel to that of the movement of the pin entering or leaving the depression, a curved cam-like intermediate section in said other arm providing means for rotating said guard member about said arm having the pin point when said pin point penetrates a pinnable material and causing the depression in said guard member to engage said pin point.

4. A safety pin having normally closed arms of spring wire, one arm ending in a point, the other arm ending on a planar guard member, a loop REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 21,271 Gustlin Nov. 21, 1939 193,125 Miles July 17, 1877 457,261 Deming Aug. 4, 1891 532,667 Johnston Jan. 15, 1895 1,796,924 Fleece Mar. 17, 1931 2,276,194 Hochreiner Mar. 10, 1942 

